Guardian / Nigeria: The relationship between the Executive and Legislature is headed for further combat, following insistence by the Federal Government to prosecute the two presiding officers of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rule.
Supporters of both Saraki and Ekweremadu called the Like Minds, have resolved to break the harmonious working relationship that had existed between the two arms of government.
Rising from a meeting in Abuja, yesterday, the group said it has decided to await the commencement of the trial, billed for tomorrow (Monday) at a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, before reeling out its reprisal actions against the executive.
However, senators against the Senate President, known as the Unity Forum, are set to testify against the two principal officers on the alleged forgery issue.
Those expected lined up to testify tomorrow include; Senators Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, who is the secretary of the forum and who actually is a signatory to petition to the police that triggered off the forgery matter, saraki’s main challenger in the senate presidency contest, Ahmed Lawal, Kabiru Marafa, Gbenga Ashafa, Robert Boroffice, Abu Ibrahim, Ojudu Babafemi.
It was gathered that the Like Minds Senators, whose number had risen to over 80, including Senators Aliu Wamakko, Dino Melaye, Saabi Aliu Abdullahi, Isah Misau, among others, are set to commence comprehensive investigation into some misdeeds of the executive with a view to exposing them.
The two count charges filed against Saraki and Ekweremadu include that of Conspiracy to commit forgery, as well the forgery act itself.
The suspension of consideration of the President’s 47 nominees for ambassadorial positions last Thursday might be the beginning of hostilities between the Executive and the legislative arm.
The alleged corrupt practices in the recruitment of staff into the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) is also another area the Senate would pay attention to when it resumes plenary session after the Sallah break in July.
It has already scheduled the issue on its Order Paper for consideration in the next legislative day.
Malami on Thursday, refused to appear before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, which had invited him over the planned prosecution of Saraki and Ekweremadu, for allegedly forging the Senate Standing Order 2015.
The Senate directed the committee to invite Malami for interrogation after adopting a motion moved by the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Melaye, who relied on order 14 and 52, to demand the approval of his colleagues for his two prayers including the invitation of the AGF and the genuineness of the Rule Book.
The red chamber mandated its panel to within two days summon the AGF to explain and justify with evidence the basis for his action.
The senators also want the committee to find out from Malami whether his action did not constitute gross misconduct, incompetence, contempt of court and abuse of office.
Just last week, the Senate described the planned trial of its presiding officers over alleged forgery of Senate Rules as a direct affront on the Legislature, which it noted, was forbidden by the Constitution.
Asking President Muhammadu Buhari to halt the desperation of some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other key officials of the Federal Government to destroy the National Assembly, the Senate noted that such desperation to get at perceived political enemies was the reason that the anti-corruption war had lost credibility.
A statement issued by the Senate through the chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, yesterday evening pointed out that “Nigeria’s democracy is in danger and that the attempt by the Executive Arm of the Federal Government to muzzle the legislature and criminalise legislative processes in order to cause leadership change in the National Assembly is a return to the era of impunity and lack of respect for due process, which we all fought to abolish.”
Captioned “Forgery Case, An Unconstitutional Violation of Principles of Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances”, the statement noted that : “The Nigerian people have enough economic hardship at this time requiring the full attention and cooperation of the three arms of government, instead of these attempts to distract and politicise governance”
“We are in a state of economic emergency such that what the National Assembly needs at this time are executive bills and proposals aimed at resolving the crises of unemployment, currency depreciation, inflation, crime and insecurity. What the National Assembly needs now are executive bills to build and strengthen institutions to earn revenues, fight corruption and eliminate waste. Instead, we are getting hostile actions aimed at destabilising the National Assembly, distracting Senators from their oversight functions and ensuring good and accountable governance.” It added.
The Senate specifically charged President Muhammadu Buhari “to please call his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to order” adding the “the Senate of the Federal Republic voted freely to elect its leadership into office and continuing attempts to change that leadership through the wanton abuse of judicial processes cannot stand in the eyes of the world”
“It is clear that the Attorney General and party leaders behind this action either lack the understanding of the underlining principles of constitutional democracy, the concept of Separation of Powers, checks and balances and parliamentary convention or they just simply do not care if the present democracy in the country survives or collapses in their blinded determination to get Saraki and Ekweremadu by all means necessary, including abuse of office and sacking the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the Statement added.
